Mix in hot design trends for a kitchen you’ll love

Thursday

There’s no doubt that the kitchen is the heart of the home, the place where meals and memories are made. So this spring, listen to your heart and give your kitchen the TLC it deserves.

There’s no doubt that the kitchen is the heart of the home, the place where meals and memories are made. So this spring, listen to your heart and give your kitchen the TLC it deserves.

Regardless of whether you are planning to sell or planning to stay, the kitchen is where we spend the bulk of our time, so it should be conducive to cooking, conversing and consuming.

A kitchen transformation does not have to break the bank and can indeed add value to your home. But most importantly, it should be the room you love hanging out in.

Susan Kitzman-Erickson of Kitzman’s Rockford Design Studio in Rockford, Ill., says there are many choices for a cheap and easy update to the kitchen.

“Switching the hardware on the cabinets seems like a small thing, but it makes a large impact,” she said. “Drawer pulls and cabinet handles can be updated so quickly and easily. Another dramatic but inexpensive way to change the look of the kitchen is to add a tile back­splash. Glass mosaic is a popular trend now.”

Doug Trussoni, a certified kitchen designer for Andco Kitchen and Baths in Rockford, says that lighting is often overlooked but is a wonderful economical choice to transform a room.

“In addition to updating the overhead light fixtures, there are many options now for under- and over-cabinet lights,” he said. “LED lights on small adhesive strips can be used for functional light and to create impressive ambience. They don’t get hot, and they produce extraordinary visual appeal.”

Low-cost options

Diane Feuillerat of Kitchens By Diane in Loves Park, Ill., suggests some quick and easy fixes to spruce up the kitchen: paint color and décor updates. Maybe you loved the cow wallpaper 10 years ago, but is it your taste now?

“A coat of paint and new accessories make the whole room seem new,” Feuillerat says.

Perhaps you have a little bit of money to spend, a tax refund from Uncle Sam maybe, and you want to do a little more than cosmetic changes. Kitzman-Erickson suggests updating the appliances.

“Stainless steel is still king,” she said.

Feuillerat adds that you also need to think about what you really want from your appliances. “Do you want a larger cooktop size? A larger fridge? A separate oven?”

Look to the pros

If you are ready for a complete kitchen makeover, go to the professionals, who can help with overall design, function and aesthetics. Getting countertops, cabinets, and flooring can be done in a matter of weeks and within any budget.

Feuillerat suggests that refacing is not the way to go. “In the long run, it is better to get new cabinets. You want to upgrade the exterior, of course, but also go with the improved interior features, such as the soft-close drawers, trash can hideaway and pullout shelves.”

Trussoni says that kitchen cabinets can have an heirloom quality and be viewed as a piece of furniture that you can accessorize around.

“Besides maple and cherry, birch is back,” he said. “Birch can look like cherry. You can get beautiful cabinets without spending big bucks. A popular trend making its way to local kitchens is knotty rustics. Knotholes in the wood give comfort and warmth.”

All three designers suggest doing the cabinets and the countertops at the same time.

“Granite still rules,” Kitzman-Erickson, says. “Quartz is becoming popular too because it is maintenance-free and looks like granite.”

Trussoni adds, “Formica countertops now mimic an entire slab of granite, but granite itself has come down in price and is very affordable.”

“Don’t forget the flooring,” Feuillerat says. A complete kitchen redo should be top to bottom. Ceramic tile is still a popular floor choice, but hardwood floors are equally prevalent.

Bang for the buck

Realtor Gaby Johnson of Dickerson-Nieman Realtors in Rockford was asked for her 2 cents when it comes to the resale dollars and sense of remodeling a kitchen.

“In an area where most of the homes have updated kitchens, remodeling a kitchen may increase the resale value of the home,” she says. “In fact, in some cases, not redoing the kitchen could cause the home to sit on the market for much longer than normal and to eventually sell for less than similar homes in the area. Stainless-steel appliances and granite are still favorites, and we’re seeing maple and hickory cabinets become as popular as cherry.”

Today’s kitchens are multipurpose rooms, and that should be considered when making renovations.

Johnson says, “Kitchens have become the gathering place for a family, a spot for doing homework, projects, paying bills, surfing the Internet — desks, islands and planning areas are great choices in kitchen remodeling.”

Rockford Woman (Rockford Register Star)

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